Current appliance walls and appliance cases typically comprise one exterior cover layer produced from high-grade sheet steel, such as stainless steel, or from corrosion-protected sheet steel. The sheet thickness of current cover layers can be on the order of 0.016 to 0.034 inches. The thicker cover layers provide increased dent resistance, but involve much higher costs due to the increased amount of material used in the cover layer.
Dented surfaces occurring during shipping and handling result in damage to the finish of the appliance and ultimately to the return of the product to the manufacturer. Returned goods significantly affect profit margins for appliance manufacturers. Appliance damage rates may be significantly reduced by introduction of laminate steel onto appliance doors and/or appliance cases, while allowing additional cost savings by reducing the amount of relatively expensive material components (i.e. stainless steel).
The present disclosure relates to a laminated appliance wall including an exterior cover having at least two conjoined laminated layers. A bonding material or mechanical connection can be disposed between the laminated layers. The laminated layers include a first outer skin layer and at least a second substrate layer thereunder. The laminated wall can further include a third substrate layer underlying the second layer.
In the case of laminated appliance walls and housings, the wall shells or skin layers can be produced from high-grade sheet steel, such as stainless steel, or from corrosion-protected sheet steel. The second substrate layer can be produced from fiberboard, paper, vinyl, plastic, cold rolled steel, or other ferrous and non-ferrous materials. The lower grade cold rolled steel can comprise galvanized steel. The third layer can comprise foam material.